Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve – The Tiger Reserve

Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve – The Tiger Reserve

This tiger reserve is situated in the Indo-Malayan realm floristically, It is a member of the Oriental Region zoo-geographically and the bio-geographic location falls in Deccan Peninsula – Central Highlands. The tiger reserve covers an area of about 1536.938 sq. kms. The core area is about 716.903 sq. kms and buffer area is about 820.035 sq. kms. The tiger reserve is located at an elevation of 440 m to 810 m above MSL. The reserve has around 32 hills. The highest hill, Bandhavgarh Hill, at the height of about 811 m (2,661 ft) above sea level, is situated at the centre of the park.

The lowest point in the reserve is at Tala (440 m above sea level). The tiger reserve is situated in the middle of Kaimur hill ranges which are the eastern extension of Vindhya mountain range. The tiger reserve falls between the Vindhyan hill range and the eastern flank of Satpura hill range. The Son River flows on the boundary of the tiger reserve on the eastern side and Umrar River flows through the western fringes. Some of the other important streams flowing in the reserve are Johila, Janadh, Charanganga, Damnar, Banbei, Ambanala and Andhiyari Jhiria.

These streams then merge into the son river, an important southern tributary to the river Ganges. The tiger reserve has five zones namely Tala, Magdhi, Panpatha, Kallwah and Khitauli. Tala is the richest zone in terms of biodiversity, mainly tigers. These ranges together forms the core area of the tiger reserve. The best time to visit this tiger reserve is between November and March. This tiger reserve is also archeologically significant because of the presence of the Bandhavgarh Fort, various ancient caves, rock paintings and carvings.

Flora:

The tiger reserve comprises of moist peninsular low level sal forest, west gangetic moist mixed deciduous forest, northern dry mixed deciduous forest, and dry deciduous scrub forest. The reserve is home to around 300 species of plants. The reserve is densely populated with sal trees in the valleys and bamboo stretches on the lower slopes. Some of the trees found in the reserve are Saj, Dhaora, Tendu, Arjun, Amla, Palash, Salai, Mango, Jamun, Babul, Banyan, Ber, Dhak, Dhok, Kadam, Khajur, Karel, Mohua, Khejda, Kakera, Neem, and Khair.

The grasslands can be seen throughout the reserve. The important grasslands of the reserve are Chakradhara, Bathan, Sehra, Rajbehra, Bhitri Bah, Jobi Bah, Kudrakeruvah, and Kerawaha. Rare species of plants such as insectivorous plant Droserapeltata, commonly known as Shield Sundew or Pale Sundew and medicinal plant locally known as Buch (Acoruscalamus), are found in isolated patches of Tala range of the reserve.

Fauna:

The tiger reserve is home to 47 species of mammals, 250 species of birds, and 100 species of butterflies. The mammals found in the reserve are Bengal tiger, Indian leopard, gaur, sambar, barking deer, nilgai, Indian wolf, striped hyena, wild boar, caracal, chital, chausingha, chinkara, Asiatic jackal, Bengal fox, sloth bear, dhole, Indian civet, palm squirrel, bandicoot rat, ratel, grey mongoose, smooth-coated otter, rusty spotted cat, fishing cat, wild elephant, jungle cat, common langur, and rhesus macaque.

The royal Bengal tiger is the star attraction of this reserve. The density of tiger population at this reserve is the highest known in India. This is also white tiger country. The last known white tiger was captured by Maharaja Martand Singh in 1951. This White Tiger called Mohan, is now stuffed, and displayed in the palace of Maharajah of Rewa. The reptiles found in the reserve are cobra, krait, viper, rat snake, python, turtle, varanus and monitor lizard.

The Indian bison (gaur) became extinct in this reserve and later were reintroduced from Kanha. The project of reintroduction of gaurs dealt with shifting some gaurs from Kanha National Park to Bandhavgarh. 50 animals were shifted by the winter of 2012. This project was executed by Madhya Pradesh Forest department, Wildlife Institute of India, and Taj Safaris by technical collaboration.

Avifauna:

This tiger reserve is home to 250 species of birds. The birds found in the reserve are Plum-headed parakeet, Green-headed barbet, Orange-headed thrush, Brown-headed barbet, Coppersmith barbet, Common myna, Alexandrine parakeet, Indian grey hornbill, Rock pigeon, House crow, Carrion crow, Little egret, Cattle egret, Great egret, Black drongo, Pond heron, Common snipe, Black-winged stilt, Red-wattled lapwing, Indian peafowl, Greater coucal, Oriental magpie robin, Indian roller, Indian robin, Eurasian collared dove, Hoopoe, Sirkeer malkoha, Large-billed crow, White-browed fantail flycatcher, Yellow-crowned woodpecker, Rufous treepie (normal and pallida), Lesser adjutant stork, Oriental white eye, Olive-backed pipit, Spotted dove, White-throated kingfisher, Red-rumped swallow, Lesser whistling teal, Common kingfisher, Black stork, Asian green bee-eater, Greater racket-tailed drongo, Red-vented bulbul, Long-billed vulture, Grey-capped pygmy woodpecker, Chestnut-shouldered petronia, Crested serpent eagle, Black redstart, Brahminy starling, Brown fish owl, Yellow-footed green pigeon, Malabar pied hornbill, Common kestrel, White-throated fantail flycatcher, Rufous woodpecker, Sapphire flycatcher, Crested hawk eagle (Cirrhatus), Oriental turtle dove, White-rumped vulture, Lesser kestrel, Large cuckooshrike, Pied bushchat, Black-winged cuckooshrike, Black-rumped flame back woodpecker, House sparrow, Golden oriole, Rose-ringed parakeet, Paddy field pipit, Dusky crag martin, Long-tailed shrike, Black ibis, White-necked stork, Purple sunbird, Giant leafbird, Tickell's flowerpecker, Little cormorant,  Little brown dove, White-tailed swallow, Jungle babbler, Shikra, Jungle myna, Common tailorbird, Red collared dove, Red-necked vulture, Painted francolin, Eurasian thick-knee, Common sandpiper, Lesser spotted eagle, Greater whistling teal, Great cormorant, Pied kingfisher, Laughing dove, Bonelli's eagle, Dark black crow, Asian pied starling, Asian Duck, Little grebe and Sarus crane.